Wrench



Patented Feb. 28,

'UNITED STATES PATE-NT oFFicE.

EUGENE ROY CARPENTER, ANSONYILLE, NORTH CAROLLNJE.

WRENCH.

Application ecl January 27, 1927. Serial No. 164,051.

MyI invention relates to improvements in wrenches of that type Which com rises a handle member' having socket mem ers detachably and reversibly connected with thev l handle, and the invention vconsists in the combinations,l constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

v More specifically described the present invention contemplates an improvement over the socket Wrench that isl disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,569,117, granted to me January 12, l1926, and an object of the present invention is to provide a locking device .for holding reversible socket Amembers firmly, although releasably, on the alined outturned ends of'. the arms of a substantially U-shaped handle that is used in the improved wrench.

A -further object of the inventionv is the provision in a Wrench of the character describedofa locking means for holding the socket membersagainst accidental displacement from the end portions of the handle of the Wrench in such a manner that the lock ing means will be practically completely housed, and protected against accidental Contact with an external object that might cause injury to the locking means or actua# tion of the locking means to release thesocket members.

Other objects and advantages of the in-b.

form now preferred by me comprises a handle having a substantially U-shaped body which is formed with alined outturned supporting end portions 2 at the extremities of the arms ofthe handle body. Each of the outturned end portions 2 is non-circular in cross sectional configuration from its outer end for the greater part of its length and is provided with an external shoulder 3 at the inner end A Wrench embodying the invention in the of the non-circular portion thereof. The non-circular portion of cach of the supporting end members of the Wrench handle is straight for its entire length, and preferably ishexangular in cross'sectional configuration. Each end portion 2 is provldcd with a bore 4 which extends through the associated bend o1-tions ot'- the handle at the juncture of t at end portion 2 with an arm o1' the handle axially of the end portion 2 nearly. to the outer end of the latter as clearly shown in Figure 2. This bore 4 com municates with a radial opening 5 that is formed through the end portion 2- at the inner side of the latter and which, is located somewhat nearer to the outer extremity of the end portion 2 than to the shoulder 3 of that end portion 2. A ball latch-member 6 is adapted'to move radially in the opening 5 and has a diameter which is greater than the length of the opening 5 and less than the Adiameter of the opening 5 so that the lball latch member 6 Will protrude from the opening 5 `intoa groove 7l in the inner periphery of a socket member 8 thatl is disposed on the end portion 2 when the ballvlatch member is supported in its outermost and latching posit-ion by a pin 9 in the bore 4 as shown in Figure 2. The pin 9 has limited sliding movement in the bore 4, which is determined by the engagement of al guiding and re# taining pin 10 With the opposite ends of an elongated recess 11 that is provided in the pin 9. The guidingand retaining pin 10 is' .litted into a hole drilled through the hexago nal part of the end portion 2. An expansion s ring 13 is disposed between the inner end o the pin 9 and the end WallI ofthe bore 4 and'tends tovmaintain. the pin 9 continuously in its outermost position in the bore 4 as shown in Figure 4. At this time, 'the inner end portion of the pin will support the `ball latchmember 6 in `its outermost latching position in the openin 5 and the associated socket member 8 Wil be held in place on the end member 2 of the wrench handle. The pin 9 is provided with a 1on- -gitudinally extending slot 14 in the side thereofthat is next to the ball latch member 6. This slot 14 decreases the depth from the inner end of the pin 9 to the outer end of the slot 14 andthe slot 14 extends in the pin 9 only a slight distance past cavity 11. The slot 14 has a width considerablv 'less than the Vdiameter of the ball latch member 6 and is provided for the reception of the actuating arm 15 of a spring bar which also includes an arm 16 that extends substantially at rightl angles with the bar 15 and is se* cured in a transverse opening 17 in the pin 9 at the outer end of the slot 14. The actuating arm 15 of this spring bar extends past the opening 5 and therefore is in contact, at all times, adjacent to its extremity with the ball latch member 6. The pin 9 is provided at a slight distance from its inner end with a cavity 18 which is formed in the side of thepin 9- that isl next to the ball latch member 6. The cavity 18 is sufficiently large to partially receive the ball member 6 when the cavity 18 is in register with` the opening 5.y The action of the spring 13 tends to maintain the pin 9 in its outermost position in the bore 4 and at such time theI cavity 18 is located out of register with the opening 5, as shown in Figure 2. The cavity 18 inter` sects the slot 14 as shown and when it is desired to release the socket member 8 from the associated'end portion 2 of the wrench handle, the pin 9 is forced axially inward l against the action ofthe spring 13 until the engagement of the outer/end of the cavity,

11 with the guidingand retaining member 10 prevents further.V inward movement of the pin 9. The cavity 18 thenvwill be disposed in register with the inner end of the opening 5 and theball latch member 6 will move inward by force in the opening 5 out of the groove 7 so the socket member 8 will move partially into the cavity 18. This inward movement of the ball latch member 6 is effected against the action of the arm 15 of the spring member 15-16 which is not f suiiciently strong to maintain the ball latch member 6 in its latching position but'which will tend to prevent the ball latch member 6 from sticking or becoming frozen in place in the cavity 18. It is to be noticed at this' point that the end Walls of the cavity 18 are inclined oppositely so that the ball latch member 6 will be biased from its inner and non-latching position toward the position shown. in Figure 2 when the latching pin 9 is returned from its inwardly pressed position to the position shown in Figure 2. It, therefore, will be apparent that clogging of the operating and latching parts of the device will be practically prevented so that uniformity of the operation of the latching mechanism for holding the socket member 8 on a supporting end portion of the wrench handle will be assured.

The pin may have the outer end thereof upset or enlarged laterally at 19 to adapt `it for convenient lmanipulation by hand.

The socket member 8 is formed internally to produce the bore 22 which extendsbetween the sockets 20 and 21.and which con-- Leccese forms in cross section configuration with 'the associated non-circular supporting endv portion of the Wrench handle, the aforesaid groove 7 is formed in the wall of the bore 22 intermediate the length of the latter and the socket member 8 is sufficiently longer than the associated ,non-circular end portion of the wrenchhandle to project beyond the vextremity of the latter when the groove- I 7 isin position topartially receive the bal] latch member 6, at which time the inner end vportion of the wrench handle of the inner end of the socket member abuts the adjacent socket member 8 preferably are of different sizes and the respective sockets of the two socket lmembers 8 also will be of different sizes so that the improved wrench has sockets of' two different sizes available for: in

stant use when the socket members 8 arel in place on the outturned end portions 'ofV the arms of the Wrench handle, and so that two socketsof other different sizes can be quickly made available for use, merely by 'reversing the socket members 8 on their respectivesupportinor end portions of the arms of the .wrench handle. It also will be understood that a plurality of socket members 8 may be provided and usedinterchangeably A on either or both of the outturned supportingend members of the wrench handle, such respective socket members of course having sockets of different sizes formed therein. The latching mechanism for releasably maintaining the socket members in place on the outturned end portions of the arms of the wrench will be completely housed and pro*- tected by portions of the associated socket members and the end portions .of the wrench handle. Only the 'extreme outer end portions of the pins 9 of the holding means for' the socket members are exposed V and such exposed outer ends of the pins 9 are partially protected by theadjacent portions of' the wrench handle. Also it will be noticed that the improved wrench does not include any laterally extending or project' members for supporting parts ofthe olding means for the socket members. Therefore,

opposite endportionsof the wrench handle having the socket members thereon may be inserted and manipulated in places of rela-- tively slight area. Y Y

Obviously, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than that which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings 'and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations as fairly fall within the'scope Vof the appended claims..

I claim:-l l, l. In a socket Wrench, a supporting member of non-circular configuration in crosssection, a socket member removably disposed en said supporting ineinber`,"said 'socket slidable in saidbore of the supporting membei: forreleasably maintaining said ball latch member in engagement with theseatof said socket member.

2. In a Socke Y Wrench," a supporting niem- "ber of non-circular conguration innerosssection, a socket member removably disposed in said supporting member, said socket member-having an internal seat, said supporting member having a bore opening through the one end thereof and having a' radial opening extending from saidbore through the outer Wall of `the. su porting member, the internal seatof sai p socket member being in register Witlrsaid radial opening when said socket member is in place on said supporting member, a ball' latch member movable insaid radialopening to and from position to enter and engage 'with the seat in saidv socket .member, a pin slidable in said bore of the supporting member to and from position to maintain said ball llatch member in engagement VWithmhe seat v of said socket member, and means for limiting the movement of said pin in said supporting member.

A3'. In a socket wrench, a supporting meinber of non-circular conguration in crosssection, a socket member removably disposed on said supporting member, said socket member having an internal seat, said supporting member having a bore opening through the one end thereof and having a radial opening extending from said .bore through the outer Wall of the supporting member, the internal seat of-said socket member. being in register Witlr vsaidradial opening when said socket l member is in place on said supporting member, a ball latch movable said radial openi ing to and from position to venter and engage wit'h the seat in said socket member, a pin havin Alimited sliding movement in the iore of sa'd supporting member and projecting from the open end of said bore, said pin having a cavity in the side thereof that is next to said ball latch member, said cavity being spaced from'. the inner end of the pin andbeing adapted to receive a suiiicient portion of the ball latch member to permit the latter to move outof the seat of said socket member when -saidcavity is in register with the radial opening ol said supporting member and spring means within'said supportingr member .acting on said pin to tend to maintain the cavity out of register with the radial opening of the supporting member.

Ll. In asocket wrench, a supporting niember of non-circular? configuration in crosssection, a socket member removably disposed on said supporting member, said socket member having an internal seat, said supporting member having a bore opening `through theone end' thereof and having a radial opening extending from said bore through' the outer wall of the supporting member, the internal scat of said socket member being in register with said radial opening when said socket member is in place on said supporting member, a ball latch member mo Ivable in said radial opening to and 'from positionto enter and engage with the seat in said socket member, a pin having limited sliding movement in the bore of said supporting member and projecting from the open. end of said ball, said pin having a cavity in the side thereof that is next to said i balllatch member, said cavity being spaced from the inner end/of the pin and being adaptedto receive a sufficient portion of the vballlatch member to permit the latter to move out ofthe seat of said socket member when` Said cavity-1s in register Withthe radialA openingof said supporting member,-

spring means within vsaid support-ing member acting on said pin to tend to maintainl the cavity Vout of register With'the radial opening of thesu'pporting member, said pin having alongitudinalslot at the side thereof that is next to said ball latch member, said longitudinal slot intersecting said cavity, and a spring arm' extending in said longitudinal slot and fixed at its outer end in said pin, the free end portion of said spring llU arm beingl in contact continuously with said ball latch member and said spring arm being ineffective to support said ball latch member when said cavity in the pin vis in register with the radial opening of the supporting member. 'i Y 5. In a'Wrench a handle having a noncircnlar supporting end portion, said end portion having an axiall vbore terminating short of, the outer end of said supporting end portion, said supporting end portion having a radial opening spaced from the outer endpof said bore,r said latch handle having an external shoulder at the innerend of said non-circular supporting end portion of the handle, a. socket' member having sockets at its opposite ends and having a bore extending between said sockets and c onforming in cross sectional configuration with said non-circular end portion of the wrench handle, said socket member having ana ill-Q' Socket member, and spring pressed means in the bore of said handle member tending to maintain said ball latch member in engagement with the seat of the socket member.

6. A Wrench handle having a non-circular supporting end portion, said end portion having an axial bore terminating short of the vouter end vof said supporting end portion, said supporting end portion having a radial opening spaced fromthe outer end of A said bore, said wrench handle having an external shoulder at the inner end of said non-circular supporting end portion of the handle, a .socket member having sockets at itsopposite ends and having a bore extend. ing between said socketsand conforming in cross sectional configuration with said noncircular end portion olf-the Wrench handle, said socket member'havingan internal seat adapted to be located in register with said radial opening of the supportin member when either .of the opposlte' en s of the socket member is in abutting relation to said external shoulder; of the' wrenchhandle,A a ball member movable in saidradial opening of the supporting member and romposition 'to protrude into the seatof thesocket member and spring pressed means in the bore of said handle member tending to maintain said ball latch j member in engagement with the seat of the socket member, saidspring pressed means including a pin` slidable'inV `the bore of the slide member, said pin having a cavity into which said ball member may project, said cavityhaving -an innerl-wall'adapted to bias vsaid ball menfiberoutwardly in the radial opening when said pin is moved as required'to position said cavity of the'pin' out of register with said 4 ,in the shank havinga recess normally disposed 4to one side ot' the lateral opening, and a ball. in the lateral opening and held into binding engagement with the sleeve by the pin and releasable to permit removal of the sleeve when" the pin has been moved toA a position where its recess Willreglster with Y the lateral opening. y

8.' In' combinationa tubular shank having a lateral opening in one side, a sleeve remov.

ably received on the shank, a pin slidable in the shank having a recess normallygdisposed to one side of the lateral opening, and a ball in the lateral opening and held into binding engagement with the sleeve bythe pin and releasable to permit removal of the sleeve whenthe pin liasbeenmoved to a position where'its recess will register with the lateral opening, and means carriedby the pin normally urging'the ball into engagement with the sleeve.

9. In combination a tubular shank having a lateral opening in one sidea sleeve removably receivedon the shank, a-pin slidable in the shank having a longitudinal slot 0pposed to the lateral openin and further provided With a recess norma ly disposed to one side of the lateral opening, a resilient arm carried by the .j pi'n and movable inthe slot,

'in registration with the lateral -o pening to permit the ball to move into the* recess to permit removal of the sleeve upon manually aor shifting the latter in a longitudinal direction. v

.EUGENE ROY CARPENTER. 

